Session 2

FASHION CONCEPTS AND

FASHION MERCHANDISING
Linguistics of Fashion
Design Basics Color

Elements of Design Texture

Point
space

Line Shape
Form
 Color Wheel
• Primary colors:
– Red, Blue, Yellow
• Secondary Colors:
– Green, Violet, Orange
• Intermediate colors:
Mix primary colours + Secondary
colours - Yellow-Green, Blue-Green,
Blue-Violet, Red-Violet, Red-Orange.
• Tertiary Colours:
Mix two secondary colours –
Orange-Green, Orange-Violet,
Green-Violet
• Black, White and Grey are
neutral colors.
Color psychology
– Yellow – Caution
– Red – Passion, Love
– Orange – Warmth,
Knowledge, Energy,
Force
– Violet – Royalty
– Blue – stability,
inspiration, or wisdom
– Green – Wealth,
Outdoors, Luck, Nature
– Brown – Maturity
– White – Purity, truth
– Black – Death,
Depression, Sorrow
Color blocking:

– Very basic way of displaying

merchandise as per color.

– Most common and widely

accepted colours are
VIBGYOUR (Violet Indigo
Blue Green Yellow Orange
and Red)
POINT

A point is an element that has position, but no extension. It

is a single mark in space with a precise, but limited location.

LINE
A line is an element that shows movement between two
given points. A line can be vertical, diagonal, horizontal,
. and
even curved.

A _____________________________________B
A………………………………………………………B
A----------------------------------B
Shape
Shape is a two dimensional area confined by an actual
line or implied line. The two dimensions
are length and width.

Form
Three dimensional shapes are Forms.
The three dimensions are length, width and depth.
Space
Space refers to the area within, around, above or below
an object or objects.

Texture
Textures is the way that things look or feel.
Everything has some type of texture.
We describe things as being rough, smooth, silky, shiny,
and so on.
Design Basics Contrast

Principles of Design
Harmony
Dominance

Balance Proportion

Rhythm
CONTRAST
Contrast refers to the arrangement of opposite elements
and effects. For example, light and dark colors, smooth
and rough textures, large and small shapes.

UNITY & HARMONY

Unity & Harmony is the visually satisfying effect of

combining similar or related elements.
Adjacent colors. Similar shapes. Related textures.
Repetition of design element like colours shapes and
textures.
BALANCE
Balance is the distribution of the visual
weight (How much attention an object draws
in a composition) of objects, colors, texture,
and space. Balance is applied to make
a design feel stable

Symmetrical
Asymmetrical
Radial
RHYTHM
Rhythm suggests movement or action. Rhythm is usually achieved through repetition of lines,
shapes, colors, and more. It creates a visual tempo in artworks and provides a path for the viewer's
eye to follow.
PROPORTION
Proportion is the relationship of two or more elements in
a composition and how they compare to one another with
respect to size, color, quantity, etc.; i.e. ratio.

DOMINANCE
You design one element to have more dominance than
another by giving it more visual weight. ... You
create dominance through contrast, emphasis and
relative visual weight.
Identical items can't dominate each other. To
exert dominance, an element has to look different from
the elements it's meant to dominate.
Fashion Cycle
Theories of Fashion Adoption
Theories of Fashion Adoption shows how fashion
moves through different levels of society.
The Flow of Fashion
• Trickle down:
• The oldest theory of distribution is the trickle-down theory
described by Veblen (American economist and sociologist) in
1899.

• To function, this trickle-down movement depends upon a

hierarchical society and a striving for upward mobility among the
various social strata. In this model, a style is first offered and
adopted by people at the top strata of society and gradually
becomes accepted by those lower in the strata.

• This distribution model assumes a social hierarchy in which

people seek to identify with the affluent and those at the top
seek both distinction and, eventually, distance from those
socially below them. Fashion is considered a vehicle of
conspicuous consumption and upward mobility for those seeking
to copy styles of dress. Once the fashion is adopted by those
below, the affluent reject that look for another.
• Trickle up:
• The trickle-up or bubble-up pattern is the newest of the fashion
movement theories. In this theory the innovation is initiated from the
street, so to speak, and adopted from lower income groups. The
innovation eventually flows to upper-income groups; thus the
movement is from the bottom up.
• Examples of the trickle-up theory of fashion distribution include a very
early proponent, Chanel, who believed fashion ideas originated from
the streets and then were adopted by couture designers. Many of the
ideas she pursued were motivated by her perception of the needs of
women for functional and comfortable dress. Following World War
II the young discovered Army/Navy surplus stores and began to wear
pea jackets and khaki pants. Another category of clothing, the T-shirt,
initially worn by laborers as a functional and practical undergarment,
has since been adopted universally as a casual outer garment and a
message board.
• Thus how a fashionable look permeates a given society depends upon its
origins, what it looks like, the extent of its influence, and the motivations of
those adopting the look. The source of the look may originate in the upper
levels of a society, or the street, but regardless of origin, fashion requires an
innovative, new look.
• Trickle across:

• Proponents of the trickle-across theory claim that fashion moves horizontally

between groups on similar social levels.

• In the trickle-across model, there is little lag time between adoption from one
group to another.

• Basically refers to the current fashion.

Indian & Global Fashion
Fashion Shows
A fashion show is an event put on by a fashion designer to showcase his or her upcoming line of
clothing during Fashion Week. Fashion shows debut every season, particularly the Spring/Summer
and Fall/Winter seasons. This is where the latest fashion trends are made. It is one of the tools of
fashion promotion.

1. A formal runway show

2. A production show
3. An informal fashion show
4. Designer fashion show
5. Charity fashion show
6. Sponsored fashion show
1. A formal runway show:

This form of fashion display is one that people will be

most familiar with. It is the conventional way for
designers to show off their clothing and accessories in a
wearable manner (on models). It is similar to a parade in
terms of its setup and practice. A runway show will last
anywhere between thirty minutes and a hour, where the
live models walk on a raised platform in a sequential
manner, wearing the apparel of the designer.

The runway show itself can be done according to any

theme and done in any style– some are formal while
others are far more informal. But they will always feature
these characteristics: a theme (merchandise and scene
development), a specified special location, staging and
lighting, models, make-up and hair style and music.
2. A production show:

This is the most expensive form of fashion shows, as the whole

event is almost like a theatre or drama performance where
there is a whole production element behind the show. Fashion
and the different fashion trends are displayed and bought to
life using special entertainment, backdrops and scenery,
lighting effects, live or produced music, and even
performances (acting or dancing). These events can also be
done to any specific preferences and can feature 5 models or
50, but once again the clothing is shown on the actual body of
a person, as a way to show onlookers how the fashion can
work in everyday life.
3. An informal fashion show:

Once again garments are displayed on models

but in a very relaxed and informal environment-
perhaps in a department store or as they mingle
among guests at an event.

There are no special lighting or sound

requirements and the sell-ability of the clothing is
purely up to the model and how he or she looks
in the outfit. This form of display requires very
little planning (as it is essentially just the model,
hair and makeup production and the clothing that
needs to be presented) and can be slipped in with
almost any other event.
4. Designer fashion show:
Designers showing their seasonal collections. Each show
will feature just one designer, lasting approximately 30
minutes.

5. Charity fashion show:

Charity fashion show are held for a charitable purpose.

6. Sponsored fashion show:

The fashion show is funded by or sponsored by any
company or organization.
• Important organizing tips of fashion shows are:
• Date and venue
• License
• The catwalk
• Model Selection
• Themes
• Hairdressers and makeup
• The clothes
• Rehearsal
• Advertising
• The team
 “FASHION JATRA”
• Organised on 7th August 2018 at Hotel Chanakya BNR, Ranchi. “National Handloom Day”
• Beauty Pageant for local models. Promotion through – Radio & Social Media Platform.
• All Participants were Local Designers who exhibited their collection of handloom made and hand crafted
designs (Weave Designs, Hand Paintings, Hand Embroidered, Hand Painted)
• Celebrity Guests – Koena Mitra, Ravi Kishan, Stefy Patel, Karan Singh Arora
1. Lakme Fashion Week
• The first fashion show to have ever taken place in
India, the Lakme Fashion Week (LFW), is a bi-
annual Indian fashion event organized in Mumbai.
LFW Summer Resort, the first show, takes place in
February, while the second, LFW Winter Event is
conducted in August. This is arguably India's most
prominent fashion show, controlled by the Fashion
Design Council of India (FDCI) and sponsored by
Lakme.
• LFW was first held in August 1999 in New Delhi and
the landmark event saw as many as 33 leading
designers including Ritu Beri, Tarun Tahiliani, Rina
Dhaka, Rohit Bal and Manish Arora first present
their creations at the national level.
• Since then, LFW has continued to enjoy the status
of being the most popular and happening Indian
fashion event. Designers like Vikram Phadnis,
Sabysachi Mukherjee, Rocky S, Manish Malhotra,
and many more have contributed to the show's
glamour quotient in recent years by successfully
integrating Bollywood and fashion on a single
runway.
2. Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week
• The Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) is
yet another popular bi-annual Indian fashion
event, famous for presenting summer and winter
clothing collections. Run by the Fashion Design
Council of India (FDCI) and funded by Wills
Lifestyle, it sees more than a hundred designers,
both new and well-known, participate in each
edition. The Autumn-Winter event is organised in
March, while the Spring-Summer show takes place
in October. Outstanding designers like Tarun
Tahiliani, Rohit Bal, Janavi, Alpana & Neeraj, etc.
regularly display their work here. WIFW is known
for offering a sizeable platform for budding
designers to showcase their work.
3. Van Heusen India Men's Week
• India's first show exclusively devoted
to displaying men’s fashion, the Van
Heusen India Men's Week was
started in 2009 following a tie-up
between leading lifestyle brand, Van
Heusen, and the FDCI. Involving the
participation of leading fashion
designers such as Ashish Soni,
Raghavendra Rathore, Rajesh Pratap
Singh, Manoviraj Khosla, Rohit Bal,
Rahul Khanna and Rohit Gandhi, this
male-oriented fashion show has
resulted in Indian menswear growing
and flourishing at a rapid rate.
4. India Bridal Fashion Week
• Known for presenting the best trends and
designs in bridal couture contributed by
top designers, the IBFW is held annually
in the cities of Mumbai and Delhi and is
counted among the top fashion shows of
India. Heritage brands, Bollywood
superstars and fashion trendsetters are all
regular participants at the India Bridal
Fashion Week. This five-day fashion show
is the most popular destination for lovers
of Indian fashion and wedding trousseau,
and sees both established and budding
fashion designers network with potential
clients and leave their impressions on the
wedding fashion scene.
5. Bangalore Fashion Week
• Established in 2009 and organised in
the IT capital of India, the BFW is a bi-
annual fashion event. With
participation in the event being ‘by
invitation only’, the prestigious fashion
week provides maximum exposure to
designers from South India to showcase
their collections. Not only does the
show provide aspiring designers with a
noticeable debut, but also gives them a
great opportunity to strengthen their
footing in the domain. Bangalore
Fashion Week is also known for
organising world tours for the purpose
of showcasing India’s craftsmanship
with past events being held in Bangkok
and Dubai.
6. India Couture Week
• The Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) -backed India Couture
Week commenced its journey with top models and designers from
July 2016 onwards. The event centers on presenting the cultural
diversity of India, celebrating its wonderful craftsmanship,
innovative textiles, glorious embroideries and intricate
techniques. It Basically promotes the Handloom and Handicraft
Sector of the country.
7. Synergy 1 Delhi Couture Week
• FDCI organizes this fashion
week, which brands itself as a
tribute to Indian culture. The
couture culture introduced in
India by fashion experts like
Tarun Tahiliani and Ritu Kumar
has become very popular, with
the former being considered as
India’s undisputed couture king
at the moment. Top-notch
fashion designers like Ritu Beri,
Varun Bahl, JJ Valaya, Tarun
Tahiliani and Feroze Gujral are
also known to participate in this
much awaited event.
8. Indore Fashion Week

• Powered by Blenders Pride,

the event takes place every
year in Indore. It is controlled
by Storm Fashion Company
and presents shows by top
designers like Rocky S, Jatinn
Kochhar, Riyaz Ganji, Poonam
Vora and Sanjana Jon. Madhya
Pradesh’s traditional
handwork like Begham and
Anarkali Collection are often
showcased in the Indore
Fashion Week. The event is
also known for exhibiting
western and bridal garments.
9. Rajasthan Fashion Week
• RFW, a grand and royal
event which began in 2012,
has become renowned for
showcasing a perfect blend
of glamour and new age
elements. The Rajasthan
Fashion Week is an
extended venture of
Starlite Entertainment,
Mumbai, and displays the
work of both native
designers and fashion
giants.
Global Scenario
Fashion Week & Fashion Show…
• The two most important fashion weeks are Paris Fashion Week and
New York Fashion Week, which are both semi annual events. Also
the Milan, London and Berlin Fashion Weeks are of global
expectancy
• The schedule for each season begins with New York, followed by
London, and Milan ending the events in Paris. These four cities are
the traditional "big four" fashion weeks that are followed by new
emerging fashion weeks globally.
• Some fashion weeks can be category-specific, such as a Miami
Fashion Week (Swimwear), Rio Summer (Swimwear), Prêt- a-Porter
(ready-to-wear) Fashion Week, Couture (one-of-a- kind designer
original) Fashion Week and Bridal Fashion Week, while Portland
(Oregon, USA) Fashion Week shows some eco-friendly designers.
• In the major fashion capitals, fashion weeks are semiannual events.
January through March designers showcase their autumn/winter
collections and September through November the spring/summer
collections are shown.
• Fashion weeks are generally held several months in advance of the
season to allow the press and buyers a chance to preview the designs
for the following season. This is also to allow time for retailers to
arrange to purchase or incorporate the designs into their retail
marketing.
• Who attends Fashion shows?
• Fashion shows are not open to the
public and fashion week is not a
public event. Designers, via their PR
agencies, media members, buyers
who work for major boutiques and
department stores around the world,
and friends of the designer also their
closest celebrity friends are invited
here.
 Fashion Capital
• A fashion capital is a city which has
major influence on international fashion
trends.
• A fashion capital would be the home of
many top designers, modeling agencies,
and other allied industries (Retailers,
manufactures etc) and most importantly
the consumers .
• It is decided each year by the amount of
business generated and its influence on
fashion. Each year a list of cities based on
rank is released stating the fashion
capitals of the world.
Top 3 Fashion Capitals of the
World-2020
LONDON

NEW YORK

MILAN
 LONDON
• London gets September's second
fashion week, and it's one of the
most raucous of Fashion Month.
Stella McCartney, Burberry,
Temperley, Vivienne Westwood, and
the late Alexander McQueen all set
up shop here, while magazines,
photographers, and buyers cram in
to get a look at the season's latest.
It's difficult to ignore the bustle of
Oxford Street, the bespoke suits of
Savile Row, the nostalgia of Carnaby
Street and King's Row, or the glow of
Harrods in Knightsbridge, but make
time to stare at the more modern
window displays of Simone Rocha
and Christopher Kane on Mount
Street or the newest bespoke tailors
on Clifford Street. Despite now
being all over the world, Dover
Street Market is still worth a stop
too.
NEW YORK
• Michael Kors, Betsey
Johnson, Calvin Klein, Derek
Lam, Donna Karan, Isaac
Mizrahi, and Philip Lim all
started here. Parsons, the
Fashion Institute of
Technology, the Pratt
Institute, and LIM are all
here bringing along the next
generation. Kate Spade,
Marc Jacobs, Kenneth Cole,
and Ralph Lauren placed
their headquarters here.
New York City has more than
5,000 fashion showrooms —
and hosts more than 75
major fashion trade shows
and weeks each year.
MILAN
• On the third week in September, Milan's
Fashion Week draws out Armani, Prada,
Valentino, and Versace. But this fashion
capital is so much more than its big houses:
There are 12,000 fashion companies, 800
showrooms, and 6,000 stores. Stick to Via
Montenapoleone if you must — Gucci,
Prada, Valentino, Bottega Veneta, Salvatore
Ferragamo, and Fendi will be glad to have
you — but you'd be missing out on gems
such as 10 Corso Como, the vintage shops
at Corso di Porta Ticinese, and Excelsior.
Others in the race...
LOS ANGELES
• The old tropes about Los Angeles
fashion point to Hollywood glamour,
Rodeo Drive, and mall culture as chief
fashion contributions. That's a bit
outdated. Rodarte, Buscemi, and
Joyrich all call the place home, while
Supreme, Fear of God, Undefeated,
Odd Future, The Hundreds, and other
brands build on the city's near-
unparalleled street cred. Great
style isn't confined to studio sets,
Silver Lake bars, or shopping districts:
It's in line at Korean taco trucks,
tucked into hidden boutiques in strip
malls, and downtown working. You
can get an eyeful during L.A. Fashion
Week or during the L.A. Fashion Film
Festival.
PARIS
• Paris Fashion Week in late September
and early October is a boon for the
industry — and a time for Parisian
houses Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Hermes,
Yves Saint Laurent, and Christian Dior to
push the bulk of their new season — but
Paris Haute Couture in early July is when
the city shows off its best and most
eclectic offerings. If you're there, you
can check out the displays at Versace,
Hermes, and Yves Saint Laurent in the
Louvre and Tuileries, take in the
grandeur of the Palais Royal, or shop
Belle Epoque department stores such as
Printemps and Galeries Lafayette on
Boulevard Haussmann. For something a
bit more budget friendly, try
the Marais or find les dépôts-
ventes("deposit and sale")
shops throughout the city.
BERLIN

• Considered an absolute fashion

capital back in the '20s, Berlin's
evolution has made it a touchstone
for countercultural fashion
throughout the late 20th and early
21st centuries. The twice-yearly Berlin
Fashion Week is among the most
innovative, with designer Michael
Michalsky's StyleNiteserving as its
artistic core and fashion trade shows
such as Bread&&Butter turning the
spotlight on accessible street
fashion. Skip the
malls and KaDeWe and take in the
boutiques at Bikini Berlin, where
stores churn every three to 12
months, or enjoy the industrial
aesthetic and hardcore hipsterism of
the Mulackstrasse, Mitte Kreuzberg,
and Neukölln neighborhoods.
BARCELONA, SPAIN
• You say Barcelona doesn't have a fashion
week? That's weird, because 080
Barcelonahas been giving the city two
tremendous showcases of Catalonian
designers and street style a year since 2008. At
any time of year when you're done viewing all
the Gaudi sites and want to take something
home, skip the Triangle mall and the Chanel,
Prada, Santa Eulalia, Saint Laurent, and Miu
Miu shops in Paseo de Gracia and head to the
boutiques on Las Ramblas or in Born. To really
get away with something stylish on the cheap,
either Mango or Zara will get you there —
though skip Zara if there's already one in your
city.
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
• Dubai International Fashion Week is kind
of like Dubai itself, using popular fashion
and retail experiences from other parts of
the globe to attract people to a sprawling
megamall in the desert. The week comes
in October, but launches with events
during Paris' fashion week in September.
The city throws international brands and
fashion houses at you in places such as
the Dubai Mall (largest in the world), Mall
of the Emirates (which has its own ski
resort), Global Village (like Epcot in mall
form) and BurJuman Center (every luxury
mall ever), so don't let its fine local
boutiques get lost in the mix. After
gawking at the superstores and malls,
seek out the concept stores and souks.
LAS VEGAS
• What happens in Vegas now comes home
with you in multiple carry-on shopping bags
you have to schlep through McCarran. Since
the early '90s, Las Vegas went from a fading
casino lounge culture to a family-friendly
fun palace to a den of hedonism to its
current incarnation: An upscale suburban
mall near sports teams. There is no fashion
week here or fashion houses — just the
giant Fashion Show mall on the strip, where
some weekends have live runway shows on
the hour. You can pretend you're in any
other place in the country and shop at
the Premium Outlets or Town Square mall,
but to watch high rollers and daiquiri-
addled tourists blow big money on clothes
from prestigious international houses, you'll
need to be under the fake blue skies of
the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace and
among the fake canals of the Grand Canal
Shops at The Venetian.
SINGAPORE
• The people who were surprised by the
box office performance of "Crazy Rich
Asians" are going to be stunned
unconscious by Singapore's position as
longtime fashion hub. It hosts the Asia
Fashion Exchange, Audi Fashion Festival
Singapore, and an evolving Singapore
fashion week. There are independent
shops worth seeking out, but mall
hopping has become such a key part of
Singapore culture that some of the best
(and least-expensive) gems are often
hiding in their air-conditioned confines.
Catch the high-end shops and highlights
on Orchard Road, but hit Capitol Piazza,
orchardgateway, 112 Katong, and the
Star Vista to get out of your comfort zone
a bit.
AMSTERDAM
• It's a center of global commerce: Did you think it
wasn't going to have a fashion week? (Or
multiples?) Amsterdam Fashion Week in early
September isn't just about fashion and
opulence: It's a celebration of the talent coming
out of Dutch schools such as the Amsterdam
Fashion Institute, Gerrit Rietveld Academy,
Utrecht School Of The Arts, and Willem De
Koning Academy. The Floating Fashion
Week and Canal Catwalks that take place along
Amsterdam's waterways in May, however, are a
bit more loose. Ignore P.C. Hoofstrat and its
Gucci and Chanel shops: There's better gawking
to be found at celebrity-studded People of the
Labyrinthsor Marlies Dekkers. Meanwhile, the
shops and boutiques of the Nine Streets are
slightly downmarket, but more representative of
Amsterdam's independent fashion sensibility.
TOKYO
• There are few cities as influential in
young, cult, and street fashion as
Tokyo, a continually evolving blend
of styles that bleeds over to U.S.
culture a bit at a time from the
West Coast and a lot quicker
through various subcultures. Gwen
Stefani and Avril Lavigne were
among those trying to co-opt the
Harijuku district's kawaii style in
the 2000s, but the styles that
populate the Girls Award and Tokyo
Girls Collectionshows throughout
the year suggest they scarcely
scratched the surface. While
Harijuku is still worth attention,
go shopping or people-watching in
Shibuya if you're an adult who may
actually want to wear what you're
seeing.
BALI, INDONESIA
• No, the big design houses don't
descend on this place, and Indonesia's
biggest fashion events don't happen
here. But years of attracting famous,
well-to-do tourists has led to
something of a cultural exchange
where Balinese fashion is concerned.
Seminyak has birthed a Bohemian-
chic movement, and designers
including Auguste the Label, Magali
Pascal, supermodel Gail Elliott's Little
Joe Woman, and Paulina
Katarina have turned Bali into a
leisurewear capital. Seminyak
is teeming with bespoke boutiques, so
feel free to either shop or take in the
stylish folks who fill its streets.
HONG KONG
• Often considered a stuffy
business center and
overshadowed by more
outwardly fashionable
Shanghai, Hong Kong doesn't
get nearly enough credit as a
fashion hub. Sure,
there's Hong Kong Fashion
Week in the winter, but Hong
Kong's far less businesslike
fashion showcase
is Centrestage in early
September. To see what will
be worn on Causeway Bay
and in Central in the next few
months (or knocked off in
Mongkok shortly thereafter),
Centrestage will have it.
SEOUL, KOREA
• From food to music to technology,
Korea is having a cultural moment.
Why wouldn't fashion be a part of
that? Psy tried to tell you folks about
the nouveau riche style in
Gangnam — and feel free to horse-
dance your way through any of its
boutiques — but some of Korea's
most stylish folks can now be
found along the tree-lined streets of
Garosu-gil (home of the Simone
Handbag Museum), the bargain stalls
at Namdaemun Market, Dongdaemun
(where shops don't close until 5 a.m.),
or the graffiti-lined corridors of
Hongdae. The biannual Seoul Fashion
Week is one of the biggest streetwear
events on the globe, but the most fun
time to be in Seoul is for the fashion-
meets-K-Pop Seoul Girls Collection
event in October.
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
• BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
Buenos Aires Fashion Week
happens twice a year and
shows off the city's distinct,
vintage-influenced style found
throughout scores of
boutiques. Alvear Avenue has
your Hermes, Louis Vuitton,
and Cartier, but the Palermo
and Recoleta neighborhoods
are where contemporary
Argentine fashion has come
into its own.
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
• Bohemian, "hipster" neighborhoods worldwide
finds their nexus in Copenhagen, where fashion
week simply looks like people in heavy makeup
walking to Coachella or into a Wes Anderson film.
Copenhagen isn't a luxe, haute fashion capital: Its
designers including Norse Projects, Soulland, and
Wood Wood are very much of their place. Built
around the Danish concept of hygge — which
places high value on coziness and contentment —
Copenhagen's style is one of well-tended
bohemian minimalism. While it has adherents
from Mumbai to Portland, Oregon, this is still the
best place to see it in action, and the best time is
in the shoulder seasons when there is a nip to the
air.
RIO DE JANEIRO
• While the Fashion Rio shows have
been spotty to nonexistent in
recent years, the beaches and
culture that make Rio a global
fashion hub remain. Do you go in
summer to see what's on the
sand? Do you go during Carnival?
Honestly, you can go anytime and
find designers' vibrant colors and
flowing fabrics. From skimpy
swimsuits to loud Havaiana
sandals, Rio's offerings are
plentiful year-round. Just skip the
high-end, Americanized shopping
of Barra da Tijuca for the local
boutiques in Leblon or the
endless stalls of Mercado
Uruguaiana.
MIAMI
• No, it doesn't have a fashion week of its
own, but its Swim Week in mid-July and its
turn hosting Art Basel give it an art-flavored
fashion sense on par with the Big
Four. When you visit will depend largely on
your tolerance for heat or hurricanes, but
whenever you get here the cheat sheet for
the best of high-end offerings should
include Collins Avenue — featuring The
Webster (think Chanel, Céline, Givenchy,
Balenciaga, and Alaïa, with a touch of Mary
Katrantzou, Cedric Charlier, and Erdem) and
Bal Harbour Shops (Prada, Cartier, Saint
Laurent, Marc Jacobs, Gucci, Chanel) — and
Art Basel's center, the Miami Design
District. For something more affordable
made by people in Miami who began their
careers this century, Lincoln Road and
the shops just off it are a best bet.